An Analysis Of The Functions Of Cognitive Factors In SLA

Though there is only 30 or 40 years' study in SLA field, it develops very quickly. In the study field of SLA, the Monitor Model put forward by Krashen is an important and influential theory. Krashen holds that language proficiency is mainly from acquisition. As long as the learners have low 'affective filter' and get large amount of input which is at the comprehensible level for learner, learner can acquire second language naturally.With the development of science and technology, cognitive science as the newly developed science has got a close and deep connection with psychology and linguistics. Language is after all cognitive behavior and it should follow the cognition rule of human being. Studying Krashen's theory from cognitive perspective is a new attempt. This enhances people's understanding of SLA process completely and bears a big and realistic significance in facilitating SLA.Based on the cognitive theory, this thesis tries to analyze the functions of cognitive factors in SLA and to get clear idea about the cognitive psychological process in SLA in order to make a survey study about cognitive factors in SLA. This study elucidates you the effects of cognitive factors on the second language teaching and puts forward the cognitive implications in pedagogy.The thesis has six parts in total. The first part introduces the background of the thesis which gives a clear and general review about SLA and cognition theory.The second part describes the main theories in SLA and cognition for better understanding of SLA and cognition. It also points out the new perspective looking into the connection between SLA and cognition.The third part gives a complete analysis on the functions of cognitive factors in SLA (Krahen's Monitor Model). Language development is based on the cognition and also language can accelerate cognitive development. Therefore the study of SLA is also a study of cognitive psychological process. It is obvious that cognition plays an important role in SLA and Monitor Model contains cognitive factors. At the same time, this part also analyzes the functions of schemata factors in SLA. Through the study on schemata functions in reading comprehension, we get to know that the cognitive schemata also play an important role in SLA.According to the conditions and materials on hand, the fourth part makes a survey study based on schemata theory in SLA. The subjects of the survey are the 400 non-English major students in Northeast Forestry University.The fifth part educes a series of cognitive strategies in SLA from the survey study, also it puts forward the feasible suggestions in SLA classroom.The last part is the conclusion. In this thesis, a clear and complete study on cognitive functions in SLA is examined, and the valuable cognitive strategies in order to improve the abuses in pedagogy and reach the real purpose of SLA classroom are also discussed.